Door closer spindle arm



United States Patent 3,148,407 DOOR CLGSER SllNDLE ARM Harold Glashrenner, West Covina, Qalifi, assignor to Jackson Exit Device Qorporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Filed June 4, 1963, Ser. No. 285,268 Claims. (Cl. 16-129) This invention relates to an overhead concealed door closer assembly and, in particular, is directed to an improved construction of the spindle arm of such door closer assembly.

There are numerous conventional door closer assemblies of the type which provide an actuating mechanism mounted and concealed in the header above the door and having a spindle extending downwardly to both pivotally support the door and return the door to the closed position. A member, sometimes known as a spindle arm, is mounted in the upper frame member of the door and engages the door closer spindle thereby connecting the door to the closer through the spindle. Since such member moves with the door and such movement is resisted by the door closer, the member is subjected to extreme forces due to the opening and closing of the door and particularly due to the impacts caused by rapid opening or closing of the door.

In spite of these strength requirements of a spindle arm member, the member is usually limited in size, particularly in modern doors of large glass panels, due to the limited thickness of the door and the size of the uppermost member of the door. Moreover, it is often desirable that the spindle arm member be adjustable relative to the door to permit proper positioning of the door within the doorway and adjusting the closed position of the door.

It is, therefore, one of the principal objects of this invention to provide a novel form of spindle arm member that is of completely adequate strength arid is provided with unique means for securing the member to the door closer spindle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel spindle arm for use with a concealed door closer of the overhead type wherein the member is readil adjustable relative to the door for proper positioning of the door.

A further object of this invention is to provide a spindle arm member having novel means removably cooperating therewith for securing the spindle arm to the door closer spindle wherein the in-use forces tending to separate the spindle from the spindle arm member are resisted by the mating configurations of the removable means and the spindle arm member rather than being resisted by mere conventional fasteners.

Other objects and advantages of this invention, it is believed, will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

in the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of a typical door in which the device of the present invention may be employed.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional plan view taken substantially on the line 22 of FIGURE 1 and illustrating a portion of the device of the subject invention in section.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional elevation view taken substantially on the line 33 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawings, the spindle arm, generally designated ll), of this invention is particularly adapted to be incorporated in a metm frame door, generally designated 11, mounted in a metal frame doorway, generally designated 12, and therefore is so illustrated. However, it is to be noted and will readily appear to those skilled in the art that the construction of the door altars? "ice 11, doorway 12, and various other components may readily be varied without departing from this invention.

The door 11 is comprised of upper and lower frame members 13 and 14, and vertical side frame members 15 and 16 assembled to support a sheet of glass 17. The doorway 12 is comprised of a horizontal header 18, a pair of vertical jambs 19 and 20, and a threshold 21.

The door 11 is pivotally mounted in the doorway 12 by an upper pivot assembly, generally designated 22, and a lower pivot assembly, generally designated 23, for permitting pivotal movement of the door about a vertical axis passing through the assemblies 22 and 23. The lower pivot assembly 23 includes an upwardly extending post member 24 mounted on the threshold 21 that terminates at its upper end in a hemispherical portion. A downwardly facing hemispherical member (not shown) is mounted in the lower frame member 14 of the door for mating with post 2 to pivotally support the door. The post 24 or the mating member mounted in frame member 1 may be adjustably positioned by any convenient conventional means for properly positioning the door 11 within the doorway 12.

The upper pivot assembly 22 is comprised of a door closer 25 mounted within the header 13 and having a downwardly extending spindle 25 for pivotally supporting the door 11. The door closer 25 may be of any conventional type having hydraulic, pneumatic, spring-biasing, or other means for causing the spindle 26 to return to a predetermined position after any rotation thereof to thereby cause the door 11 to return to the normal closed position. The actual construction of door closer 2-5 may be widely varied for various embodiments well known to those skilled in the art, and the embodiment illustrate in the drawings is shown merely as an example forming no part of the present invention. The illustrated door closer 25 is provided with a housing 27 mounted by screws 28 to the header 18, and the housing contains means for pivotally supporting the non-circular spindle 2 6 and returning spindle 26 to a predetermined location. An adjustment screw 29 is provided with the door closer 25 and extends downwardly through an aperture in the header 18 to permit external adjustment of the closure.

It will be understood and readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that the structure and components thus far described are conventional and form no part of the present invention.

The upper pivot assembly 22 includes the elongated spindle arm 10 of this invention which is secured to both the spindle 26 and the door 11 to thereby pivotally support the door 11 by the door closer 25. The upper frame 13 of the door is provided with an open and upwardly facing channel portion along the top edge for accommodating and concealing the spindle arm 10. This channel portion of member 13 is comprised of a pair of side walls 31) and 31 and a horizontal plate 32. The spindle 26 has a non-circular cross-section and extends downwardly beyond the header 18 into the channel portion of the upper frame member 13 of the door.

Referring more particularly to FIGURE 2, the spindle arm 16 is provided with a non-circular aperture 33 therethrough for mating with the non-circular spindle 26, the non-circular configuration illustrated being square although other configuration may be employed without departing from this invention. The aperture 33 is positioned relatively near one longitudinal end of the spindle arm 10. The spindle arm 10 includes a removable insert block 34 forming one lateral side of the aperture 33. The body of spindle arm 10 is provided with a laterally extending surface 35 longitudinally spaced from aperture 33 toward the nearer end of the spindle arm and surface 35 terminates at the inner extent thereof in a vertical groove 36. Groove 36 is itself longitudinally spaced from aperture 33 toward the near end of the spindle arm and extends laterally to a depth beyond the lateral extremity of aperture 33 on that lateral side of the spindle arm substantially as shown. Or, in other words, groove 36 extends laterally into that portion of the body of the spindle arm which could be considered to be confined between a pair of spaced parallel longitudinal planes each passing through one of the lateral extremities of the aperture 33.

The body of spindle arm has surfaces 37 and 33 extending longitudinally in each longitudinal direction, respectively, from the aperture 33 and substantially coinciding with the side of aperture 33 that is formed by the insert block 34. Spindle arm body 10 is provided with a step portion adjacent surface 38 and longitudinally spaced from aperture 33 toward the further longitudinal end of the spindle arm with said step portion being formed by a pair of spaced lateral surfaces 39 and 40 joined by a longitudinally extending surface 41. Lateral surfaces 39 and 40 are substantially parallel to lateral surface 35.

The insert block 34 is of a configuration adapted to be laterally inserted into the body of spindle arm 10 and mate with each of the heretofore described surfaces 35, 37, 33, 39, 40 and 41 of the spindle arm body. The block 34 is provided with a laterally extending projection 42 at the end of the block adjacent surface for extending into and mating with groove 36 in the spindle arm body. A surface 43 of block 34 extends longitudinally between surfaces 37 and 38 to form one lateral side of aperture 33 and to engage that side of spindle 26. Three lateral holes are provided through block 34 in alignment with three threaded holes 44 provided in the body of spindle arm 1G. Three cap screws 45 are installed through the holes in block 34 and threadably engage holes 44 for releasably securing the block 34 to the body of spindle arm 10.

By this mating configuration of the insert block 34 and the body of spindle arm 10, it may be seen that the block 34 is longitudinally confined between the lateral surface 35 at one longitudinal extremity and the lateral surfaces 39 and in the other longitudinal direction. When the non-circular spindle 26 attempts to turn within the spindle arm 10, as will obviously tend to occur during opening and closing of the door due to the resistance to such movement by the door closer 25, the spindle 26 will tend to force insert block 34 laterally outwardly. This lateral movement of block 34 will partly be restrained by the screws 45. However, it has been found that by merely providing screws similar to screws and an insert block of a simple configuration, such as a mere rectangle, that the resisting forces produced by the screws are inadequate to properly confine the spindle 26. With such an arrangement after a period of time the spindle 26 will not closely fit aperture 33 thereby permitting undesirable movement of the spindle arm 10 relative to the spindle 26 and improper closing of the door.

However, by the described mating configuration of block 34 and spindle arm body 10, the resistive forces are greatly increased. Specifically, as viewed in FIG- URE 2, if the spindle arm 10 is rotated in a clockwise direction about spindle 26 as the pivot with spindle 26 resisting such movement, the upper righthand corner of spindle 26 will engage surface 43 of block 34 tending to force the block laterally outwardly by tending to turn the block in a counterclockwise direction about a vertical axis. But since projection 42 mates with groove 36 and the block has a surface mating with surface 35, this counterclockwise turning will be resisted by the structural strength of the block 34 since either projection 42 would have to be sheared off by the forces or the metal of the block compressed a substantial amount in the area adjacent surface 35. If spindle arm 10 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction about and resisted by spindle 26 then the upper lefthand portion of spindle 26 will engage surface 43 and tend to force block 34 outwardly by turning the block in a clockwise direction. This movement will be resisted by the configuration of the block since the block is longitudinally confined between lateral surfaces 35, 39 and 46 and to accomplish any turning movement of the block relative to the spindle arm body the block would have to be compressed longitudinally a sufficient amount to permit the projection 42 to clear surface 35 as the block is turned. It has been found that by employing a hardened steel block 34 these described forces are grossly inadequate to produce the compression or shearing of the block that would be necessary to allow the undesirable turning of the block relative to the spindle arm.

The provision of the removable block 34 is necessary in order to permit installation of the door 11 in the doorway 12 by positioning the door on the lower pivot assembly 23 and laterally moving the door into the position where the spindle 26 is positioned within aperture 33. The block 34 is then installed as described through an aperture 46 provided in side wall 30 of the frame member 13. Thus, while it may first appear that confining the spindle 26 within an aperture in spindle arm 10 could readily be accomplished by merely providing an aperture formed by surrounding integral portions of the spindle arm, such would not be practical under conventional methods of installing the door in the doorway.

The longitudinal end of spindle arm 10 adjacent and beyond aperture 33 is provided with a longitudinal slot 47 in which is received a post 48. Post 48 is mounted on the door 11 by any convenient means at or near the juncture of upper frame member 13 and side jamb- 15. Post 48 is provided with a horizontal threaded hole therethrough for receiving a bolt 49. Bolt 49 passes through a hole 50 in the end of spindle arm 10 and engages the remote end 51 of the slot 47. Thus, it may be seen that by turning bolt 49 the relative position of post 48 within slot 47 may be longitudinally adjusted and, therefore, the longitudinal position of the door 11 within doorway 12 is adjusted.

The longitudinal end of spindle arm 10 remote from aperture 33 is provided with a boss portion 52 having a pair of laterally and horizontally extending threaded holes 53 and 54 therein. A pair of bolts 55 and 56 threadedly engage holes 53 and 54, respectively. By means of bolts 55 and 56 the orientation of spindle arm 10 relative to the door 11 may be adjustably varied a small angular amount to compensate for small angular errors in the orientation of non-circular spindle 26 for the spindles normal position. Thus, if the door 11 comes to rest in a slightly open position by threading bolt 55 into hole 53 and bolt 56 outwardly of hole 54, or vice versa, the angular position of spindle arm 10 within frame member 13 is varied. Bolts 55 and 56 also serve to lock spindle arm 10 in the desired position by forcing outwardly on side walls 30 and 31, respectively.

A clamping screw 57 passes through an oversized aperture 58 in the spindle arm 10 and threadedly engages plate 32. Screw 57 mates with a washer 59 positioned above spindle arm 10 so that by tightening screw 57, spindle arm 10 is locked in the desired position. As previously described, the top of frame member 13 of the door is open and thus bolts 49, 55 and 56 and screw 57 are readily accessible for accomplishing the desired adjustments and clamping the spindle arm 10 in the desired position.

From the foregoing description it may be seen that a novel form of spindle arm is provided by this invention and such spindle arm is readily usable with various types of doors, doorways and overhead concealed door closers. An efiective arrangement is provided by this invention for attaching the spindle arm to the door closer spindle whereby the forces between the spindle arm and the spindle tending to destroy this attachment are successfully resisted by the strength of the materials of the spindle arm and attaching means due to their mating configuration rather than relying on the strength of mere conventional threaded fastening means.

en a e? Having fully described my invention it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth or to the details illustrated in the drawings, but my invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A spindle arm assembly to be adjustably mounted in an upper member of a door frame and engage a downwardly extending non-circular spindle member of an automatic door closer mounted in the header above the door, comprising: an elongated arm member for positioning relatively horizontal in the upper member of the door, said arm member having a non-circular aperture near one longitudinal end for encircling and mating with the noncircular spindle member of the door closer, a block removably mounted on said arm member for forming one lateral side of said non-circular aperture, said block extending longitudinally beyond said non-circular aperture in both longitudinal directions, a vertical groove in said arm member spaced from said non-circular aperture and extending a lateral depth inwardly beyond the lateral extremity of said non-circular aperture, one longitudinal end of said block having a projection extending laterally into and mating with said groove, both longitudinal ends of said block having relatively parallel and laterally extending surfaces, said arm member having laterally extending surfaces for mating with and engaging said surfaces on said block for resisting turning of said block relative to said arm member about a vertical axis, removable means for securing said block to said arm member, and means for mounting said arm member in the upper member of the door.

2. A spindle arm assembly to be adjustably mounted in an upper member of a door frame and engage a downwardly extending non-circular spindle member of an automatic door closer mounted in the header above the door, comprising: an elongated arm member for positioning relatively horizontal in the upper member of the door, said arm member having a non-circular aperture near one longitudinal end for encircling and mating with the noncircular spindle member of the door closer, a block removably mounted on said arm member for forming one lateral side of said non-circular aperture, said block extending longitudinally beyond said non-circular aperture in both longitudinal directions, a vertical groove in said arm member longitudinally spaced from said non-circular aperture and extending a lateral depth inwardly beyond the lateral extremity of said non-circular aperture, one longitudinal end of said block having a projection extending laterally into and mating with said groove, said one longitudinal end of said block having a large flat surface extending laterally and including said projection for mating with and engaging a like surface on said arm member, the other longitudinal end of said block having two longitudinally spaced surfaces extending laterally for mating with and engaging two like surfaces on said arm member to thereby longitudinally confine said block in said arm member between the mating lateral surfaces at one end and the mating lateral surfaces at the other end for resisting turning of said block relative to said arm member about a vertical axis, removable means for securing said block to said arm member, and means for mounting said arm member in the upper member of the door.

3. A spindle arm assembly to be adjustably mounted in a channel-shaped upper member of a door frame and engage a downwardly extending non-circular spindle member of an automatic door closer mounted in the header above the door, comprising: an elongated arm member for positioning relatively horizontal in the upper member of the door, said arm member having a noncircular aperture near one longitudinal end for encircling and mating with the non-circular spindle member of the door closer, a block removably mounted on said arm member for forming one lateral side of said non-circular aperture, said block extending longitudinally beyond said non-circular aperture in both longitudinal directions, a

vertical groove in said arm member longitudinally spaced from said non-circular aperture and extending a lateral depth inwardly beyond the lateral extremity of said noncircular aperture, one longitudinal end of said block having a projection extending laterally into and mating with said groove, said one longitudinal end of said block having a large flat surface extending laterally and including said projection for mating with and engaging a like surface on said arm member, the other longitudinal end of said block having two longitudinally spaced surfaces extending laterally for mating with and engaging two like surfaces on said arm member to thereby longitudinally confine said block in said arm member between the mating lateral surfaces at one end and the mating lateral surfaces at the other end for resisting turning of said block relative to said arm member about a vertical axis, said block having a lateral hole on one side of the location of said non-circular aperture and a pair of lateral holes on the other side of the location of said non-circular aperture, removable screw means passing through said lateral holes and threadedly engaging said arm member for securing said block to said arm member, and means for mounting said arm member in the upper member of the door.

4. A spindle arm assembly to be adjustably mounted in a channel-shaped upper member of a door frame and engage a downwardly extending non-circular spindle member of an automatic door closer mounted in the header above the door, comprising: an elongated arm member for positoning and mounting relatively horizontal in the upper member of the door, said arm member having a non-circular aperture near one longitudinal end for encircling and mating with the non-circular pivot member of the door closer, at block removably mounted on said arm member for forming one lateral side of said noncircular aperture, said block ext nding longitudinally beyond said non-circular aperture in mm longitudinai directions, a vertical groove in said arm member longitudinally spaced from said non-circular aperture and extendin a lateral depth inwardly beyond the lateral extremity of said non-circular aperture, one longitudinal end of said block having a projection extending laterally into and mating with said grove, said one longitudinal end of said block having a large fiat surface extending laterally and including said projection for mating with and engaging a like surface on said arm member, the other longitudinal end of said block having two longitudinally spaced surfaces extending laterally for mating with and engaging two like surfaces on said arm member to thereby longitudinally confine said block in said arm member between the mating lateral surfaces at one end and the mating lateral surfaces at the other end for resisting turning of said block relative to said arm member about a vertical axis, said block having a lateral hole on one side of the location of said non-circular aperture and a pair of lateral holes on the other side of the location of said noncircular aperture, removable screw means passing through said lateral holes and threadedly engaging said arm member for securing said block to said arm member and clamping the block against the non-circular pivot member, the longitudinal extremity of said arm member remote from said non-circular aperture having a pair of laterally extending threaded holes, and a pair of bolts each threadedly engaging a separate one of said threaded holes and separately turned to engage each longitudinal side of the channel-shaped upper member of Lhe door for adjustably positioning and locking said arm member in horizontally turned positions relative to said door.

5. A spindle arm assembly to be adjustably mounted in a channel-shaped upper member of a door frame and engage a downwardly extending non-circular spindle member of an automatic door closer mounted in the header above the door, comprising: an elongated arm member for positioning relatively horizontal in the upper member of the door, said arm member having a longitudinally extending slot near one end for receiving a vertical post member of the door, a bolt extending longitudinally Within and engaging at least one end of said slot and threadedly engaging the post member for adjusting the longitudinal position of said arm member relative to the door, said arm member having a non circular aperture near said slot for encircling and mating with the noncircular spindle member of the door closer, a block removably mounted on said arm member for forming one lateral side of said non-circular aperture, said block extending longitudinally beyond said non-circular aperture in both longitudinal directions, a vertical groove in said arm member longitudinally spaced from said non-circular aperture and extending a lateral depth inwardly beyond the lateral extremity of said non-circular aperture, one longitudinal end of said block having a projection extending into and mating with said groove, said one longitudinal end of said block having a large flat surface extending laterally and including said projection for mating with and engaging a like surface on said arm member, the other longitudinal end of said block having two longitudinally spaced surfaces extending laterally for mating With and engaging two like surfaces on said arm member to thereby longitudinally confine said block in said arm member between the mating lateral surfaces at one end and the mating lateral surfaces at the other end for resisting turning of said block relative to said arm member about a vertical axis, said block having a lateral hole on one side of the location of said noncircular aperture and a pair of lateral holes on the other side of the location of said non-circular aperture, removable screw means passing through said lateral holes and threadedly engaging said arm member for securing said block to said arm member and clamping the block against the non-circular pivot member, the longitudinal extremity of said arm member remote from said non-circular aperture having a pair of laterally extending threaded holes, a pair of bolts each threadedly engaging a separate one of threaded holes and separately turned to engage each longitudinal side of the channel-shaped upper member of the door for adjustably positioning and locking said arm member in horizontally turned positions relative to said door, and a vertically extending clamping screw threadedly engaging the upper member of the door and having means for engaging said arm member for releasably clamping said arm member in any desired position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 771,258 Marold Oct. 4, 1904 798,505 Gordon Aug. 29, 1905 2,972,783 Shean Feb. 28, 1961 3,101,507 Cecala Aug. 27, 1963 3,115,665 Cecala Dec. 31, 1963 

1. A SPINDLE ARM ASSEMBLY TO BE ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED IN AN UPPER MEMBER OF A DOOR FRAME AND ENGAGE A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING NON-CIRCULAR SPINDLE MEMBER OF AN AUTOMATIC DOOR CLOSER MOUNTED IN THE HEADER ABOVE THE DOOR, COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED ARM MEMBER FOR POSITIONING RELATIVELY HORIZONTAL IN THE UPPER MEMBER OF THE DOOR, SAID ARM MEMBER HAVING A NON-CIRCULAR APERTURE NEAR ONE LONGITUDINAL END FOR ENCIRCLING AND MATING WITH THE NONCIRCULAR SPINDLE MEMBER OF THE DOOR CLOSER, A BLOCK REMOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID ARM MEMBER FOR FORMING ONE LATERAL SIDE OF SAID NON-CIRCULAR APERTURE, SAID BLOCK EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY BEYOND SAID NON-CIRCULAR APERTURE IN BOTH LONGITUDINAL DIRECTIONS, A VERTICAL GROOVE IN SAID ARM MEMBER SPACED FROM SAID NON-CIRCULAR APERTURE AND EXTENDING A LATERAL DEPTH INWARDLY BEYOND THE LATERAL EXTREMITY OF SAID NON-CIRCULAR APERTURE, ONE LONGITUDINAL END OF SAID BLOCK HAVING A PROJECTION EXTENDING LATERALLY INTO AND MATING WITH SAID GROOVE, BOTH LONGITUDINAL ENDS OF SAID BLOCK HAVING RELATIVELY PARALLEL AND LATERALLY EXTENDING SURFACES, SAID ARM MEMBER HAVING LATERALLY EXTENDING SURFACES FOR MATING WITH AND ENGAGING SAID SURFACES ON SAID BLOCK FOR RESISTING TURNING OF SAID BLOCK RELATIVE TO SAID ARM MEMBER ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS, REMOVABLE MEANS FOR SECURING SAID BLOCK TO SAID ARM MEMBER, AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID ARM MEMBER IN THE UPPER MEMBER OF THE DOOR. 